Stair-carpet fastener



No Model.)

= A. G.- KUSTER.

STAIR CARPET FASTENER.

No., 507,517. Patnte'd Oct. 24, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST 0. KiisTER, on BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

STAI R-CARPET FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 507,517, dated October 24, 1893.

Application filed May 4,1892. Serial No. 431,793. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, AUGUST C. KiisTER, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Stair-Carpet Fasteners; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved stair-carpet fastener which may be secured in place easily upon the riser of the stair without the necessity of cutting into the stair, shall hold the carpet firmly and at the same time be capable of being shifted readily to release the carpet, and shall be so constructed that it shall not be liable to be moved accidentally either to displace or to release the carpet and that no parts shall be exposed to be broken by a blow and the efficiency of the device thereby destroyed. Devices of the same general character heretofore known to me have been open to some or all of the objections referred to or have been so complicated as to be too expensive for common use.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a Vertical section of a portion of a stairway showing my improved fastener in place. Fig. 2 is a front View of a portion of the stairway on a larger scale, and Fig. 3 is a section on the line o:-a: of Fig. 2.

A plate A, recessed on its under side, as shown clearly in Fig. 3, is adapted to be secured to the riser B of the stair by screws 0, G, and is slotted at about its middle as indicated at a, a, in Fig. 3. On each side of the slot a, a, are formed ears D, D, which afford a bearing or support for a pin E on which is journaled the hub F of an arm G. The free end of said arm is formed with a head H which is preferably toothed to engage the carpet K more firmly. The hub F is formed with a lug f which is offset from the plane of the pivot when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 3 and projects into the recess of the plate A through the slot a, a. Upon the under side of the plateAis secureda stiff springL which co-operates with the lug f to hold the arm G either in the position shown or in a position to co-operate with the first, the one overlapping the other.

The springs, as shown in Fig. 3, project from opposite ends of the plate toward the ears D, and the plate is therefore projected at equal distancesfrom the opposite edges of the ears. The arm G is projected beyond the plate A and the head H is projected inward from the side of the arm to a line with the under side of the plate. The head is thus adapted, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, to press the carpet against the riser B, and the plate is not used as a part of the clamp which holds the carpet.

Constructed as described the device is complete in itself and is ready to be applied as manufactured, having no loose parts to be lost. The recessed plate enables the device to be applied and used without cutting into the stair itself and at the same time entirely covers and protects the springs so that there is no danger of their being broken or bent or displaced by an accidental blow. Moreover as the arm is capable of swinging only in a plane at right angles to that of the stair to which the plate is fastened the arm may be shifted laterally to disengage or to displace the carpet by the pressure of the foot or by any other body, while at the same time it may be swungback easily by hand whenever it is desired to release the carpet.

I am aware that it has been proposed heretofore to pivot an arm to a bed plate fixed upon the stairs and to clasp the carpet between such bed plate and the arm. My present construction is designed to press a head upon the extremity of the arm, directly upon the riser, and to thus hold the carpet in closer contact with the riser than if the bed plate were interposed. My device therefore involves an arm extended beyond the edge of the bed plate, and provided with a head adapted to press the carpet directly against the riser, and the length of such arm neces- Sitates a special construction for the springs, to secure the desired flexibility and strength in the latter. 1

I claim as my invention In a stair carpet fastener, the combination, with the plate A slotted at the middle of its length and provided with ears D at the 0p- 5 posite sides of the slot and having a recess upon its under side, of the springs L, L secured to the under side of said plate at the ends of the recess with their ends overlapped adjacent to the slot, the arm G pivzo oted between the ears D and having the lug f to engage the spring L, and the head H projected inward from the side of the arm to a line with the under side of the plate beyond the edge of the same, and thereby adapted to engage the riser and to press the carpet [5 against the same, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

AUGUST 0. KUSTER.

Witnesses:

A. N. J ESBERA, A. WIDDER. 

